{"id":1069,"date":"2014-08-13T17:39:33","date_gmt":"2014-08-13T22:39:33","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.airdorrin.com\/?p=1069"},"modified":"2014-08-13T17:39:33","modified_gmt":"2014-08-13T22:39:33","slug":"august-6-2014-piedmont-airlines-dash-8-type-rating-achieved","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.airdorrin.com\/?p=1069","title":{"rendered":"August 6, 2014 – Piedmont Airlines Dash-8 Type Rating Achieved"},"content":{"rendered":"
\"Franks<\/a>
Franks First Day<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

From mid-June, 2014 to Aug 5, 2014, I lived in a hotel in Charlotte and worked very closely with \u00a0a class of pilots that were new to the Dash-8 airplane and Piedmont Airlines. \u00a0The training was intense; starting with book and memory work related to systems, limitations, winter ops, flight operations manuals, normal and emergency operations, policies, etc.<\/p>\n

We practiced flow patterns related to checklists and normal operations, and immediate action items to deal with a variety of emergencies. Testing and review was constant, and we each had to pass through this before getting near the simulator.<\/p>\n

Once in the simulator, we had six lessons to learn maneuvers. \u00a0You could get additional ‘add’ lessons if you needed it, and most do. In my case, along with my partner Calvin, we needed 8 lessons to be approved to take the Maneuvers Validation Checkride. \u00a0Each lesson consisted of 2 hours of pre-brief; 4 hours of simulator work; and 1 hour of debrief. Calvin and I passed our MV ride on August 30, 2014!<\/p>\n

There was no time to celebrate. \u00a0The next ‘gate’ to get through was LOFT – Line Oriented Flight Training. \u00a0This represents three additional simulator lessons (2-8-1) that are designed to show you what the real world experience will be like. \u00a0The pace changes here, and there are no, or \u00a0markedly fewer, engine fires, failures, and other emergencies.<\/p>\n

In my case – we passed our MV at night; and started LOFT the very next morning. \u00a0I personally had a very hard time with this first LOFT lesson, but the instructors here are excellent; and my partner Calvin was a significant support system in getting me through. The next two LOFT lessons went well, and Calvin and I passed our Line Oriented Evaluation – FAA based checkride on 8\/5\/14.<\/p>\n

I was very disappointed to hear that night that I had to stay in Charlotte until the next morning to get additional admin training. I had wanted to leave at 3:30 am for home (I never slept more than 6 hours here), but that would have to wait. \u00a0In the morning – I got a call that I’d actually be doing my supervised operating experience (SOE) in Charlotte, and thus wouldn’t be going home at all!!!! \u00a0 \u00a0 Argh!!!! \u00a0I’d be flying in an airplane the next day???!!!<\/p>\n

As it turns out, I hadn’t been home and didn’t have my uniform with me. \u00a0I also reminded them I’d like my family to know when they might see me again; and something changed after I hung up. \u00a0I was nice – I got lucky. \u00a0My SOE was changed to Salisbury – my home base – and I was allowed to drive home by 1pm that day (6th). \u00a0The next day I’d have off, and the day after I’d actually be doing a ride-along in a Dash.<\/p>\n

This is the best thing ever – but I haven’t had the time to sit back and reflect…… \u00a0 such is the airline business.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

From mid-June, 2014 to Aug 5, 2014, I lived in a hotel in Charlotte and worked very closely with \u00a0a class of pilots that were new to the Dash-8 airplane and Piedmont Airlines. \u00a0The training was intense; starting with book and memory work related to systems, limitations, winter ops, flight operations manuals, normal and emergency […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"gallery","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[4],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-1069","post","type-post","status-publish","format-gallery","hentry","category-home-page","post_format-post-format-gallery"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.airdorrin.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1069","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.airdorrin.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.airdorrin.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.airdorrin.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.airdorrin.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=1069"}],"version-history":[{"count":2,"href":"https:\/\/www.airdorrin.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1069\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":1073,"href":"https:\/\/www.airdorrin.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1069\/revisions\/1073"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.airdorrin.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=1069"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.airdorrin.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=1069"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.airdorrin.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=1069"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}